December 18, 2012

The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader Republican Leader Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Max Baucus The Honorable Orrin Hatch Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee United States Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch:

On behalf of our thousands of employees who work in the solar industry, we respectfully request a modification of the clean energy tax credits from a “placed in service” standard of eligibility to a “commence construction” standard in both the Section 45 Production Tax Credit (PTC) and in the Section 48 Investment Tax Credit (ITC).

The Senate Finance committee tax extenders package, which was included in S. 3521, the Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012, allows wind and other Section 45 technologies’ projects to qualify for the PTC if the project “commences construction” (rather than is “placed in service”) by a certain date. We want to see this policy change applied to all renewable energy technologies, including solar and the other Section 48 technologies, which qualify for the ITC.

Commence construction is a great policy, makes a lot of sense, and allows us to make full and effective use of the investment tax credit all the way through 2016. In total, a commence construction standard would conservatively yield an additional 4,000 MW of solar electric generating capacity in 2017 and 2018 in the United States—enough to power 676,000 average households. This significant increase in installed capacity would support tens of thousands of additional jobs over this two-year period. Finally, because the tax credit can still only be claimed when the project is completed, this commence construction change would continue to protect taxpayers from any risk.

As our companies plan and participate in solar projects in the coming months and years, it is vital that all of the clean energy technologies have a predictable policy in place. Our companies face incredible amounts of risk based on events beyond our business control. The change to “commence construction” provides much-needed certainty.

It is imperative that this “commence construction” modification be part of any tax extenders package and included in any year-end legislation. Thank you again for your commitment to the clean energy industries, which continue to help diversify our nation’s energy portfolio, promote competition in the energy markets, grow jobs across the country, and reduce energy prices for American families.

Sincerely,

Abengoa Solar ATS Ohio Inc. , , and Ohio

AET. LLC Aztec Solar Inc. Florida California

All Energy Solar Inc. Bentek Corporation , Minnesota, and Wisconsin California

AllEarth Renewables Blattner Energy Vermont Minnesota

Amphenol Industrial Solar Technologies Blue Ridge Energy Company California Virginia

Appalachian Energy Systems Brightergy Solar Massachusetts, , Pennsylvania Kansas, Missouri

Apricus Inc. BrightSource Energy California, Nevada

Aquatherm Industries, Inc. Butler Sun Solutions, Inc. California

Areva Solar Caleffi Solar Arizona, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania Missouri

AST, Inc. Cape Fear Solar Systems Indiana, Ohio North Carolina

Atonometrics Clark Engineering Company Texas Michigan

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Clean Power Finance Hydroflex Systems, Inc. California Pennsylvania

Conserval Systems Inc. Ice Industries, Inc. Ohio

Cotuit Solar LLC JA Solar USA, Inc. Massachusetts California

EDF Renewable Energy John Nimmons & Associates, Inc. California, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, New California York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas

Enel Green Power Mainstream Energy Corp. California, Massachusetts, Nevada California

Energy Systems and Installations, Inc. Mercury Solar Systems of Waltham Pennsylvania Massachusetts

Estriatus Law Meridian Energy USA California California

First Solar Microgrid Solar Arizona, California, Maryland, Nevada, New Missouri Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio

Florida Solar Energy Industries Association Multi-Contact USA Florida California

FLS Energy NTS Solar North Carolina Massachusetts

Panasonic Corporation of North America Grenzebach Corporation Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Georgia New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington

Highway Safety Corporation Paradigm Partners Connecticut Massachusetts

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Pfister Energy, Inc. Shoals Technologies Group Florida, Maryland, New Jersey Tennessee

Pilkington North America Skyline Innovations Ohio District of Columbia

SolarCity Power One Inc. Arizona, California, Colorado, District of California Columbia, , Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania

Radiance Solar SolarNexus Georgia California

Renewable Portfolio Solutions Sol Systems, LLC California District of Columbia

Renewergy Solutions Group, LLC Solar & More New Jersey New Jersey

Renovus Energy Solar Panels Plus, LLC New York Virginia

Ritter Group USA SolarUS Inc. Pennsylvania Connecticut

Roof Integrated Solar Energy Solar Wave Energy, Inc. Illinois Massachusetts

Sabre Industries SolPowerPeople Inc. Texas Texas

Schmid Thermal Systems Inc. Spire Solar California Massachusetts

SunEdison Sener Energy and Systems Inc. California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, California New York

Soitec

California, Massachusetts

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Sunrun Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Universal Solar Products, Inc. Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Puerto Rico York, Oregon, Pennsylvania

Suntech Vidaris, Inc. California New York

Sunvelope Solar, Inc. Viessmann Manufacturing Co. Inc. Nevada Rhode Island

Tenaska Wagner Solar Inc. Nebraska Massachusetts

TEVA Energy Westinghouse Solar Florida California

The LeverEdge Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., LTD Florida California

Trina Solar

California

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